Beyond a Simple Thank You!
by MasterSqueakToy
Summary: After years of being married to Sasuke, Sakura can't help but feel guilty about the bottled up thoughts she's had for Naruto. Thinking she would feel better, she wrote her feelings down in a single letter. The question is, will he ever get a chance to read it? After all...Naruto is married to Hinata. Post Chapter 700. NS. Rating changed from T to M for later chapters. Review!
1. Thank You Letter

**Beyond a Simple Thank You!**

Sakura walked toward the hokage office holding protectively onto an envelope. In this world, everything was quiet and peaceful. She didn't know if Naruto had fully destroyed the cycle of hate, but this as close enough. There was peace, and yet it all felt so strange to her. She had her happy ending; Sasuke and Sarada and yet she couldn't forget the nights when her bed felt lonely. She couldn't forget the moments when she was reminded of their days as Team 7. She couldn't forget the guilt and regret she often felt through-out the years. As she walked toward the hokage's office she made sure to keep her eyes down. No one questioned her presence; after all, she was the disciple of Lady Tsunade. She was a legendary sannin.

She knocked on the door before walking in to see Naruto sleep at his desk. Empty cups of ramen were scattered beside his laptop. She spotted a picture of Team 7 and a warm smile slipped onto her lips. Carefully she reached out to pick it up but stopped when she saw the picture of Naruto with Hinata and their children. The constant throbbing of her heart was replaced with a shattering pain. She glanced over at him. His blonde hair was always cut short now, while slowly Sakura's hair had grown back to the length it had when they were children. After all, Sasuke…did like girls with long hair. She looked down at the envelope, then toward Naruto wondering if she should give it to him at all.

That is until she noticed one of his blue eyes peeking up at her.

"Sakura-chan," he whispered.

He hadn't called her that in years. Sakura-chan. For a moment, she saw the little boy she had spent so many years with. She didn't say anything, but stared at him while clutching her letter.

"Why are you crying, Sakura-chan?" Naruto whispered.

"I…uh…" she began. Why couldn't she say anything?! Why did she feel as though a lump had formed in her throat, choking out her words.

"Idiot," she managed to whisper before forcing herself to laugh, "I'm not crying." She stuffed the letter into the pocket of her lab coat. "I wasn't sure if you were in your office or not. With everything so peaceful, I'm surprised you still spend so much time here."

"It's the duty of the hokage, right?" Naruto lightly smiled.

As of late, Naruto had struck Sakura as being more serious and mature as a whole. He was far more _grown up_ than the boy she remembered, but that smile…she remembered that smile. It was the same smile he gave her years ago during the war when she refused to be left behind. It was the smile that often encouraged her. Her heart was beating so quickly, as tears continued to spill out of her eyes. Playfully she punched him against the side of his head, but it wasn't nearly as hard as she had in the past.

"What about your family? You should spend time with them," she explained. Every word she said, pained her more and more. She felt her stomach twisting with guilt as he continued to smile up at her with those blue eyes. "What?" she asked, unsure of what he was looking at, but he didn't answer, instead he kept smiling.

"Nothing," Naruto laughed before standing to his feet. It was weird, because she could remember when he was so much shorter than her. He was such an impulsive goofball, who dove into dangerous situations without thinking of the risks. Despite his carelessness, his ability to talk to even the most dangerous villains, she never once doubted that he would become hokage. Protecting that dream of his became her duty, and now that he accomplished it…she saw less and less of him. He daughter was now enrolled in the ninja academy…there was no time for living in the past, and asking herself questions of _what if. _

Naruto started picking up the various empty cups of ramen, and tossed them in his trashcan.

As she watched him, she couldn't help herself but wonder…what would have happened? She often hated that she cried as much as she did, but she couldn't help it. Never before did she have to bottle up her feelings around Naruto. It was always Sasuke. She believed that Sasuke was her dream. She always wondered what their first kiss and first night would be like together, and yet she often felt as though something were missing.

Then Naruto looked back at her and lightly laughed, "Sakura-chan, you're always crying." Gently he wiped away her tears with his hand. Without warning, she tightly wrapped her arms around him, hugging him tightly, burrowing her face into shoulder.

Naruto was always there. She never had to chase him…he was just there. However, he belonged to Hinata. She and Hinata were friends and she would never betray that.

"Sakura-chan," he whispered before laughing, "You're squeezing me a little too hard."

Her face heated up as she quickly released him, and crossed her arms over her chest. Swiftly she glanced away from him, not wanting him to see how badly she was blushing. "Well, I guess I'll let everyone know you're still here," she told him as she waved her hand dismissively. Before she could leave the room, Naruto said, "What's that in your pocket?" She looked down to the envelope poking out of her pocket. She drew out the letter and looked at it for a moment.

With a forced laugh she said, "It's not important," and moved to rip the envelope in half.

"Wait," Naruto said, causing her to pause. "Let me see." And then playfully he yanked the letter out of her hand.

"It's a waste of time," she said as she tried to steal it back, but Naruto held the envelope high out of her reach. She found herself bringing up her hand to slap him, but stopped. "Fine, do what you want." Without another thought she walked out of the office and closed the door behind her.

Naruto opened up the letter to be greeted with Sakura's had writing.

Naruto,

I just want to say thank you for everything you have done for me. Thank you for being there with me during the great times and the bad. Thank you for encouraging and motivating me when I was at my lowest, my weakest state. You endured my temper and protected me when you didn't have to. Thank you for your sacrifices. Most of all…thank you for loving me, more than anyone ever had. There are nights when I wonder what you're thinking, and then I remind myself that Hinata is more suited than I am. I'm not sure I could have ever given you the love that you deserve. This letter isn't to ask for a chance. I know something like that disappeared years ago. This letter is just to let you know that I am thankful, and I realize how special you truly are. I've known for a long time now. So thank you, Naruto, for being a part of my life. I will always be there to support your dreams, even if it's from a distance.

Her name wasn't signed.

Naruto bolted out of his office to see Sakura standing before him. She wore a smile Naruto wasn't sure if he had seen before. He knew it was fake, but he wasn't sure why.

"I told you it wasn't important," she lightly laughed as she took a step back, but then Naruto stepped toward her, and took her hand. Her face immediately burned a bright red. It was stupid how embarrassed she suddenly felt. "Don't be stupid. You're the hokage, a husband, a father—." He suddenly kissed her. She slapped him only to have him hold her hand to his cheek afterward. He parted his lips from hers and stared deeply into her green eyes with his blue ones. Those orbs reminded Sakura of the ocean, they were so beautiful. They weren't cold at all. Her heart was beating rapidly.

"Anyone can see us," she harshly whispered.

Naruto lightly laughed and whispered, "And that's what I like about Sakura-chan."

"What are you talking about?" She questioned, not feeling even more embarrassed than before.

"You've always been so smart, Sakura-chan. And made sure to look out for both of us. That's what I like about you," he answered. "All I've wanted was your happiness, Sakura-chan. If Sasuke doesn't make you happy, then I guess I didn't do my job right."

"Idiot," Sakura cried as she wrapped her arms around his neck. "I wish I could have picked you."  
>"Don't cry, Sakura-chan," he said, "Who knows…maybe in another life, we could be together."<p>

"Maybe…" she answered.

"But that won't change that you'll always have a place in my heart too," he grinned.

Although it wasn't the answer she was looking for, whenever he smiled like that…she believed him.

_'Thank you, Naruto, for still being the Naruto I fell in love with…' _ she thought to herself as she hugged him once more. _'Thank you.'_


	2. House Guests

**CHAPTER TWO.**

**House Guests**

That night, as Sakura cooked dinner, she could hear her daughter Sarada ranting in the back around about something else Bolt did at school. It wasn't until she heard the raven haired child voice, "Mom, why are boys so stupid?" That she glanced back over her shoulder. "None of the guys in our class are cool at all!" she complained, before huffing a sigh, "Well, I guess there's Shikadai, but even he's annoying."

For a moment, Sakura wondered if this was how she sounded. She remembered telling her mom about how embarrassing Naruto was on a daily basis. The pink haired kunoichi turned back to look once more at the stove to check her soup. A tiny smile formed on her lips as she thought more to those days as a child. She remembered the pranks Naruto would pull. Although she never admitted it, she really enjoyed them.

"You never know, one day you'll find yourself falling in love with one, and find yourself doing stupid things too," Sakura lightly laughed, only to hear her daughter make a sound of absolute disgust.

"Well, dinner's ready, go ahead and wash up," Sakura voiced.

Sarada hopped up from the table and moved off to the bathroom. It was at that moment Sakura heard a knock at the front door. "Coming," she called out as she took off her apron. She quickened her pace to the door, but when she opened it, she was surprised to see Naruto. She was stunned for a moment, unable to say anything. That is until he did his trademark laugh and said, "Good evening, Sakura-chan."

"What are you doing _here?!"_ Sakura immediately said, making sure to keep her voice down. "What if someone sees you?"

"Why would it be weird?" he asked. "You're Sakura-chan. We were both members of Team 7. Why can't I visit?"

Her face was burning very hot and appeared redder than a tomato.

"Mama, who is at the door?" she heard Sarada call out from the kitchen.

"Oh, it's just a friend," Sakura lightly laughed, however her voice felt a little awkward leaving her lips. She didn't know if she needed to invite Naruto inside of not. She looked back at him and quickly whispered, "What about your house? Aren't you missing dinner?"

"No one is expecting me," he added, "Sometimes I spend a lot of my time in my office."

Sakura slapped him, this time hard enough for it to sting. Naruto winced, but she didn't change her angered expression. "Naruto…you have a family. You can't neglect them."

He felt his cheek and looked once more to the medical ninja. "But that's the thing, Sakura-chan….I want _you_ to be my family. You always heard about my feelings from other people, but I want to tell you right now. I want to do it right."

"No…please don't," she whimpered as she pressed her forehead to his chest. "If I hear this…then…how am I supposed to continue being his wife…?"

"Maybe you don't have to be?" Naruto lightly laughed as he pet the top of her head.

"Why is the Seventh here?" Sarada suddenly asked, causing Sakura to immediately step back from the blonde, before whipping around to see her daughter.

"Ah, the hokage is a good friend of mommy's," Sakura told her with a smile. "He just wanted to stop by and check on things." Then she looked over her shoulder to say, "I'm sorry, but you just missed Sasuke. I believe this time he's trying to master a new jutsu. I'm not sure, but I'll let him know you stopped by."

Naruto nodded, but instead of leaving he stooped down so he was at Sarada's level. "Sarada-chan, I hear you're doing really good in school."

The young girl adjusted her glasses and nodded. "I am an Uchiha, so it's expected," she answered, but then narrowed her eyebrows. "But not everyone has the same sense of pride?"

"Eh?" Naruto questioned, unsure of what she meant, so she continued.

"You might need to train Bolt better. All he does is goof off, and he's the son of the hokage!" she exclaimed. Immediately Sakura covered her mouth and lightly laughed. "I'm sorry."

"No, it's fine," Naruto smiled. "She reminds me of you, haha. Well, bye." He stood back to his feet. "Oh, and don't worry, Sarada-chan. I'll make sure to talk to Bolt."

"Good," she muffledly said behind her mother's hand.

Sakura watched him walk away. Why was her heart beating as quickly as it had been? She looked back down at her little girl and scolded, "You know better than to talk to company like that. Now, come along. Let's have dinner."

"Yes ma'am," left Sarada's lips as she followed Sakura back to the kitchen. Although once she sat down in her seat and they started eating, the young girl suddenly asked, "Why isn't dad ever home? Doesn't he miss us?"

"I'm sure he does," Sakura answered as her eyes stayed on the rice. The idea that Naruto wasn't happy at home gave her a strange sense of hope. She wondered what it would be like to see that goofy smile of his when she first wakes up in the morning; to hear him say _"Good morning, Sakura-chan." _

"Mom, are you listening?" Sarada asked.

"Huh? Yeah," Sakura quickly answered.

"I don't think I like anyone at school," she admitted. "I don't really have any…_friends._ I mean, the only girl that sort of talks to me is ChoCho and we're just way too different. And Himawari is a _baby." _

"She's not a baby," Sakura said.

"Mom, she isn't old enough to go to school. She's a baby!" Sarada argued before once more returning to her dinner. She was polite and detested messes of any kind. Sakura couldn't deny that she found her daughter's little quirks cute. Although she did wish she was more open to her peers. Then again, Sakura's first real friend was a result of being bullied. Maybe Sarada would find her own Ino? Unless she was more like Sasuke…

"You'll make friends," Sakura assured her. "Sometimes all it takes is being put on the same team with someone. You may dislike the person at first, but as time goes on…he or she will leave an imprint on your heart."

Once again, Sarada made a face of disgust.

After dinner and Sarada was sent up to her room, Sakura stayed in the kitchen tidying up everything. Her thoughts remained on Naruto. If she didn't fear Sarada gossiping to her classmates the next day, she would have asked him to stay. The idea of him eating her cooking excited her.

"Sarada-chan, I'm going to step out for some fresh air," she called out, and walked out onto their back porch from the kitchen. She leaned over the balcony toward the beautiful city Konoha had become. She stared at the clouds passing over the moon, blocking its rays. She looked at the few lights illuminating windows as she wondered what everyone else was doing. Looking at all of these different things helped to distract her from _him_.

She didn't want to think that her loneliness was effecting her. Sasuke was rarely home as it was, and they were rarely intimate with each other. Even when they were, it wasn't what she expected. When she was with Sasuke, something was missing. She was sure he adored Sarada, but there were times when she wasn't sure. Sakura could never read what he was thinking. She never could.

Was it weird…that it took a loveless relationship to open her eyes to how much she cared about her friend? She felt like a monster because of it, and yet…there was a part of her that didn't care. She wanted to see Naruto, but she didn't want to hurt Hinata. She didn't want to hurt the families, or Naruto's reputation as hokage. The things she wanted had too much of a risk attached to it.

A flower dropped onto her hand causing her to look up to the sky. She didn't see anything. "Sakura-chan," Naruto whispered from her behind her. Immediately she whipped around ready to hit, but stopped when he grabbed her hand.

"What the hell!?" she exclaimed. "You almost gave me a heart attack!"

When he laughed with a light smile, she found herself furrowing her brows.

"Wait, what about dinner with your family?" she asked.

"I'm there, technically the me you see is just a clone, but Sakura-chan, I do have a message!"

"A message?" she asked, unsure of how she felt about this.

"Meet the real me at my office later tonight," he told her.

"But wait, what about Sarada-chan, she'll be sleeping and—."

"The village is safe, she'll be fine," Naruto assured her. "When was the last time anything happened?"

She stared at him as she thought. There were so many things that she didn't like about this plan, especially with the off-chance that something would happen. Sarada was her life. So the pink haired woman crossed her arms over her chest and huffed, "If you have something to tell me, then you should tell me right now."

"It's not something I would want to do as a clone," he admitted.

"Then come to my house later tonight," she told him.

"But Sakura-chan, that's too risky!" Naruto complained.

"And leaving my daughter sleeping in my house alone, isn't?!" she snapped.

"Ok, ok," he said with a light laugh.

"That is if your message is _that_ important," Sakura added, although she didn't want to admit she was feeling rather nervous the more she thought about it. "Hinata may want you to stay in for the night…please don't be unfaithful to her…"

"Don't worry," Naruto whispered in her ear. "That's why I want to talk to you tonight. I'll meet you here on the porch again."

"Ok…" she answered, and then he poofed into a cloud of smoke, leaving her alone. What had she agreed to? She quickly walked back into her house unsure of what she should do next. Her house was spotless (as always), and Sarada was sleeping. The pink haired girl moved over to her personal bathroom, thinking it would be best to go ahead and shower before he arrived again.

'_Sasuke's going to find out. No, everyone is going to find out…' _

After her shower she slipped into one of her nighties. She bought several hoping to impress Sasuke, but she rarely used them with him. They never made love, it was only rough sex whenever he felt like it. Like when she was cooking in the kitchen and he pressed her against the counter. "Then again, what if that's not even what he wants to talk about," she asked herself as she admired her body in the mirror. "He could be coming over just to…talk. He said he wasn't going to be unfaithful to Hinata." She tugged on her robe and tied it tightly over herself to cover the rest of her body.

There was a chance Naruto wouldn't even come. She walked down to the kitchen and looked out to the porch to see no one. She sat down in one of the chairs and waited. For hours as she sat in that chair, she could feel her heart shattering to pieces. She laid her head down against the table as she kept watching the glass door. She felt tears spill out of her green eyes. "I can't do this," she said and pushed herself to her feet. Sakura wiped her eyes and walked out of the room.

_Knock. Knock. _

She felt her heart skip a beat and she rushed back into the kitchen to see Naruto waiting outside of the porch door. Sakura immediately opened the door and he stepped inside. She didn't wait for him to say anything but wrapped her arms around his neck. "I thought you changed your mind," she whispered.

"No, I just had a hard time leaving," Naruto told her before using his hand to tilt her chin up to him and leaned down to plant a kiss on her lips. When their kiss broke he whispered, "I'm going to leave her, because you were always the one I loved, Sakura-chan."

"But what about Sasuke?" Sakura asked.

"You could leave him too," Naruto said with a shrug.

"What about the children?"

"They'll be fine," Naruto assured her. "They aren't going to be neglected."

"What will the village think?" Sakura asked.

Naruto grabbed both of her shoulders with his hands and stared at her in a manner more serious than she ever saw in the past. "Sakura-chan, it'll be ok. I promise, and you know I don't go back on my promises."

She glanced over toward the door, then took hold of his hand, quietly leading him to her bedroom. Once they were behind a closed door she asked, "Was that what you wanted to tell me?"

Naruto cupped the side of her face and said, "Sakura-chan you are so special to me. I love your temper, I love how smart you are…and most of all, I love that charming forehead of yours." And gently he leaned in and kissed her forehead.

She was blushing so badly. Her first instinct was to push him away, but she didn't. Instead, she slid down the side of her robe to reveal her shoulder. His eyes widened in disbelief for a second before he leaned down and gently planted tiny kisses on her skin. He slid down her robe with both of his hands, rubbing her arms along the way. Electricity seemed to skipper up her body. Naruto's touch was more than she had ever expected. His kisses were like heaven. His soft lips against her neck, caused her entire body to melt like chocolate.

A sharp breath broke from her lips as she felt him kiss her neck harder, her body was tugged closer to his. She could feel that he wanted her. She could feel him pressing against her hip. It was such an inviting sensation. She was so focused on the feel of his body, she didn't realize they were now laying on the bed. His tongue trailed down her body, against her skin, leaving goosebumps all over. He nuzzled her lingerie. It wasn't until he at the thong portion and started to move the fabric away with his teeth, that Sakura said, "I don't know if we should do this now."

His kissed her beneath causing a sharp gasp to leave her lips. "N-Naruto, I'm serious," she forced herself to say, although everything inside of her screamed for him to continue.

"But I bet Sakura-chan tastes delicious," he teased.

"Not until you officially leave her," she told him.

He teased her once more with his tongue, sending another shiver over her body.

"What if something happens?" she asked, however her voice didn't have as much power this time. She was breathing hard as the lower part of her body was pulsing.

She felt his mouth move upon her and she grabbed a pillow to place over her mouth. Every kiss, every flick of his tongue, caused her body to grind more invitingly to him. It was then that he kissed the inner part of her thigh and said, "I promise I won't let anything happen to you, Sakura-chan. Consider this a new promise of a lifetime."

* * *

><p><strong>Author Note: <strong>Yay, this story is no loner a one-shot! So I'll most likely update once a week. That's my goal at least. i'm currently writing a ChoxHina story at the same time. Anywho, please review! And stick along, while this story will most likely take a number of angsty turns, I hope you read till the end! Byebye! xoxo


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